Carter is a Republican. Gary is a Democrat.

They met in 1984, during the epic U.S. Senate battle between Jesse Helms and Jim Hunt. Carter worked for Helms and Gary, for Hunt.

Years later, they became friends. They even worked together on some nonpolitical clients.

They enjoy talking about politics. So they started this blog in 2005.

They’re still talking. And they invite you to join the conversation.

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Carter Wrenn

Gary Pearce 2024

Gary Pearce

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Centrist Mitt and Pat?

By Gary Pearce October 11, 2012

While Mitt Romney was morphing into a moderate last week, an aide to Pat McCrory sent out an email calling his candidate a “centrist Republican.” Two questions: How do conservative Republicans feel about that, and how will both men govern if elected?   The email was from J. C. Blucher Ehringhaus, III of Charlotte, who…

Turnaround

By Gary Pearce October 10, 2012

Could one debate turn the presidential race upside down and give Mitt Romney a comeback win over President Obama? Yes, and there are 67.2 million reasons why.   Nielsen says that’s how many people watched last Wednesday’s debate. It was “the highest-rated first election-season debate since 1980.” Of the viewers, 12 million were age 18-34…

Jim Hunt Redux

By Gary Pearce October 10, 2012

  Governor Hunt, my old boss, is like a veteran rock band that still rocks. He may be 75, but he’s still on his game. Even Pat McCrory is cozying up to him.   Hunt gave a well-received speech at the Democratic Convention. Unlike a lot of speakers, he didn’t promote himself. He’s beyond needing…

Let ’em Debate

By Gary Pearce October 8, 2012

Jim Lehrer deserves a break. If he made a mistake moderating the presidential debate, it wasn’t that he should have done more to rein in Romney and Obama. He should have done less.   The presidential debate, with its free-flowing format, was much more informative than the gubernatorial debate, which stuck to the stiff and…

Romney’s Risk

By Gary Pearce October 6, 2012

A country lawyer – and conservative Democrat – says Mitt Romney may have made a big mistake in the first debate, despite the quick boost he got.   “Whatever you say in your opening argument, you’d better back it up when you present your case,” the lawyer said.   To wit: Did Romney lie when…

Under Pat’s Skin

By Gary Pearce October 5, 2012

Walter Dalton’s feisty debate performance gave his campaign a spark and got under Pat McCrory’s skin. That’s a weakness that would hurt McCrory in the Governor’s office.   If McCrory didn’t like Dalton’s questions and attacks, wait until the media gets after him. And that’s just a matter of time in a media culture that…

Game Change

By Gary Pearce October 4, 2012

Mitt Romney sliced and diced President Obama last night. Obama looked like he’d rather be celebrating his anniversary with Michelle. If he keeps this up, they won’t spend their next anniversary in the White House, let alone with 40 million people.   See the rule from my blog yesterday (and my ever-so-accurate prediction): “Bugs Bunny…

Romney’s Bounce

By Gary Pearce October 3, 2012

I have a feeling that Mitt Romney will get a bounce out of tonight’s debate. Not because I play the ridiculous expectations game, but because a Romney bounce is due and he can easily do well.   He needs to set aside all the conflicting and confusing advice candidates always get before debates. I spent…

Hoping for a Crash

By Gary Pearce October 2, 2012

Here is a debate preview from a TAPster who combines the best qualities of Carter and me: namely, hating both parties equally:   “Political dweebs everywhere will gather around their TVs Wednesday night for the much-anticipated debates between the North Carolina gubernatorial candidates and the Obama-Romney showdown.   “The NC debate is meaningless. The two…

Independents Turn Against GOP

By Gary Pearce March 17, 2026

North Carolina voters don’t like either the Democratic or Republican parties. But Independent voters – who…

Getting the News

By Gary Pearce March 13, 2026

How do you get your news? Our statewide poll asked North Carolina voters what their primary…

MAGA-gator

By Gary Pearce March 12, 2026

Thom Tillis and Phil Berger fed the MAGA alligator. Then it ate them. Thomas Mills wrote…